Blasons

Autograph album featuring interwar theatrical plus familial signatures inscriptions and photographs many by regional music hall and pantomime performers as well as actors such as Ivor Novello Wilfred Shine & Godfrey Tearle collected by Hilda Oglesby.

1920 · 3495 — Sheffield & Blackpool 1920. 'AUTOGRAPHS' ALBUM ff. 51 17 blanks one excised page. Original full mauve morrocco upper board lettered in gilt ruled in blind rounded corners. All edges gilt. Pale blue marbled endpapers white pale pink and blue plain paper. Rubbed and creased shaken spine cracked at first and final pages text block holding via threads; some nicks and holes from pins and glue residue repairs to page with Novello's signature. Hilda Oglesby's name and address to front endpaper brim-full of inscriptions and signatures in blue and black ink and multifarious hands colour pencil and ink drawings promotional photographs pinned in plus a thick lock of faux golden hair. Good A wonderful friendship-cum-autograph album and unique item of interwar theatrical memorabilia 1922-1949 featuring signatures by British stage actors and music hall performers as well as inscriptions by mostly forgotten pantomime ensemble performers esp. 1927-30 collected by Hilda Oglesby "Whiskey" in Goldilocks and Goody Two Shoes: brim-full of signatures most notably Ivor Novello perhaps collected at a performance of his successful 1924 play The Rat the "specialist in melodrama" Wilfred Shine comedian Harry Weldon male impersonator Ella Shields best known for 'Burlington Bertie from Bow' see left-hand illustration to title page and Shakespearean actor Godfrey Tearle 1928 as well as affectionate witty and pithy inscriptions and promotional photographs from Oglesby's fellow pantomime performers including a lock of faux golden hair!. Promotional photographs include Ella Shields the Louise Sisters posing as toys with one in a Golliwog costume plus earlier entries including colour pencil and pen drawings by her family and friends c.1922. It appears that Sheffield-born Blackpool-based Hilda Florence Oglesby 1908-1990 moved from being a fan of the stage to work as an ensemble actor who performed at various British regional venues appearing as "Whiskey" in Goldilocks and William de Lacy's Goody Two Shoes amongst other pantomimes. Companies performances and venues mentioned include: Gypsy Vagabond Co. at Leeds Empire Theatre Idle Times Revue at Olympia Theatre Dublin and Empire Woolwich William de Lacy's Goody Two Shoes at the Hippodrome Accrington Seafarers Co. at Empire Kingston Carry on Sammy Co. Empire Bristol. Her co-performers include H.B. Walls Patricia Andre as 'Free and easy boy' Mary and Eddie Grovesnor Thelma Hamilton as 'Fairy' in Goldilocks and Marie Benson as 'Colin'. unknown